Feature Story
More Than Just a Ride: Seven Years with Ryder Ellis
Ellis Reflects on Growth, Trust, and the Journey with Monster Energy® Kawasaki Team Green™
For most young racers, joining Monster Energy® Kawasaki Team Green™ represents the beginning of a dream. For Ryder Ellis, it became the foundation of an entire chapter of his life.
Over the last seven years, Ellis has grown up within one of amateur motocross' most successful development teams, experiencing every stage of the journey while wearing green. During that time, he has traveled across the country, qualified for the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s year after year, earned championships, stood on podiums aboard his various Kawasaki KX’s, and established himself as one of the sport's top amateur competitors. Yet when he reflects on his time with the team, the accomplishments only tell part of the story. The experiences, relationships, lessons, and personal growth that came alongside them, are what stand out most.
When Ellis first joined the team, he was both excited and nervous. Monster Energy® Kawasaki Team Green™ was a name he had grown up admiring, a team that had helped launch the careers of many riders he looked up to. Like countless young racers before him, he understood what the opportunity meant and wanted to make the most of it. What immediately stood out, however, was not the pressure that came with joining such a respected team, but rather how quickly the people around him made him feel at home. From the beginning, he was welcomed into an environment that felt less like a race team and more like a group of people genuinely invested in one another's success.
Then (2020) VS. Now (2026)
Looking back now, Ellis believes the younger version of himself would be surprised not only by what he has accomplished, but by the opportunities that have come with the journey. Racing has taken him to places he never imagined visiting as a kid. Along the way, he has participated in photo shoots, video projects, national events, and some of amateur motocross' most prestigious races. While those experiences have created lifelong memories, they have also provided perspective. The goals that once felt distant gradually became reality, and each milestone created new ambitions to chase. Perhaps most surprising of all is that seven years later, he is still pursuing those goals alongside the same program that first gave him an opportunity.
As the years passed, Ellis' development extended far beyond race results. The quiet young rider who first entered Team Green gradually became more confident, more mature, and more comfortable in his role both on and off the track. Competing at a high level taught him how to remain patient when progress was slow, how to work through adversity when things did not go according to plan, and how to focus on consistent improvement rather than immediate success. Just as importantly, it taught him how to represent the people who believed in him. Sportsmanship, humility, respect, and perseverance became values that carried equal importance to race wins and championships, helping shape the person he would become throughout his amateur career.
Throughout his time with Monster Energy® Kawasaki Team Green™, Ellis has learned that success in motocross is never an individual achievement. Behind every rider is a network of family members, managers, mechanics, teammates, and supporters who contribute in ways that often go unnoticed. For Ellis, one of the most influential figures throughout that journey has been Team Manager Ryan Holliday. More than simply overseeing the race team, Holliday became someone Ellis could rely on through every stage of his development. Whether celebrating accomplishments or navigating challenges, the support remained constant. Knowing that someone believed in his potential and was willing to stand behind him during both successful and difficult moments provided confidence that extended far beyond racing itself.
“Ryder is one of those kids that I look back on and remember the first time I saw him ride – deciding in that very moment that I wanted to have him on Team Green.”
- Ryan Holliday
2020: Loretta Lynn's
Ellis wins Moto 3 for second overall in the 65cc (7-9) Limited class at the Monster Energy® AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship.
2021: Mammoth MX
Ellis wins Moto 2 for second overall in the 65cc (10-11) Division 2 class at the Monster Energy® Mammoth Motocross.
2022: Cal Classic
Ellis secures first overall in the 85cc (9-11) class at the AMA California Classic.
2024: Freestone MX
Ellis secures first overall in the Supermini 2 (13-16) class at the James Stewart Freestone Spring Championship.
Ellis' path through amateur motocross has not always looked the same as many of his competitors. While pursuing national-level racing, he has also continued attending public school full-time, balancing the demands of education with the demands of competition. While it stands as a different path than many elite amateur racers choose, it’s one that the team has continued to support throughout the years. For Ellis, that commitment reinforced the trust that has become one of the defining characteristics of his relationship with the team. In a sport where riders frequently move between teams and opportunities lead competitors in different directions, his partnership with Monster Energy® Kawasaki Team Green™ has remained remarkably consistent because its foundation has always been built on something deeper than just results.
Some of Ellis' favorite memories from the last seven years have little to do with the actual racing. While qualifying for Loretta Lynn's, winning championships, and earning podium finishes remain important milestones, many of the moments he remembers most fondly happened away from the starting gate. Team dinners, time spent traveling with teammates, and countless conversations shared throughout race weekends helped create friendships that continue long after the racing ends. Even memories like winning a fishing tournament during the Spring Nationals remain meaningful because they represent the relationships that developed throughout the journey. Experiences like these provided a glimpse into the side of racing that fans rarely see: the friendships, camaraderie, and support system that exist behind the scenes.
Over time, those experiences changed how Ellis viewed the team. What began as a race team eventually became something much more personal. Watching teammates support one another through both victories and setbacks, seeing team members invest themselves in riders beyond race results, and experiencing the consistency of that support year after year helped him realize that they operated more like a family than a traditional team. The environment created by such an inclusive culture played a significant role in shaping his experience, and ultimately became one of the primary reasons the relationship has lasted as long as it has.
Today, Ellis finds himself in a position very different from the one he had when he first joined the team. For years, he was often one of the younger riders in his class, gaining experience while competing against older racers and learning what it took to reach the next level. Now, he has become one of the veterans, with a different set of pressure and expectations. The riders around him aren’t simply viewing him as another competitor, but rather are looking at him as one of the riders expected to contend for championships. Recent accomplishments, including sweeping Loretta Lynn’s Regional Qualifiers, and earning King of the West honors going into Mammoth, reflect how far he has progressed, while also representing the next stage of his development. The underdog who spent years learning, is now one of the riders others are chasing.
Despite everything he has accomplished, Ellis remains focused on the future. His goals continue to center around improvement, winning bigger races, and ultimately pursuing a professional career. More than anything, however, he hopes to make the people who have supported him throughout the journey proud. Seven years after joining Monster Energy® Kawasaki Team Green™, the dreams have grown bigger, the expectations have increased, and the opportunities continue to evolve. Yet, the foundation remains the same as it was on day one: a rider and a team who have grown together through every step of the journey. And while the next chapter of his career is still being written, the impact of the last seven years will remain part of his story long after the final gate drops.
